Dana Hendrickson, the director of outreach and advocacy for the Maryland Department of Veteran Affairs and a wife of a military veteran, talks about the challenges military families face when a loved one is deployed.

ALL THIS AND MORE ON 11 T V THE HILL. DANA HENDRICKSON IS THE DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY FOR THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS AND WIFE OF A MILITARY VETERAN. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. DANA: THANK YOU. SARAH: IT IS CLEAR WHY YOU ARE SO PASSIONATE. TELL US MORE. DANA: FIRST, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY AND BRING GREETINGS FROM MARYLAND GOVERNOR, LARRY HOGAN, AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RUTHERFORD. SARAH: THANK YOU. DANA: AND I THINK PROBABLY THE REASON I'M SO PASSIONATE COMES FROM TWO PERSPECTIVES. ONE IS BEING PERSONALLY COMMITTED AS A MILITARY SPOUSE AND KIND OF LIVING THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF SERVING AS A SPOUSE, SEEING WHAT MY HUSBAND'S EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE. SO THERE IS A PERSONAL COMMITMENT THAT DRIVES MY PASSION, BUT I THINK IT IS ALSO A PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT AND IT IS HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE THAT OUR LEADERSHIP IS EQUALLY AS COMMITTED THAT HELPS REALLY, TRULY DRIVE THE PASSION. SARAH: I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED WHAT IT IS LIKE FOR WIVES AND SPOUSES OF MILITARY MEMBERS DURING THEIR DEPLOYMENT. IT HAS GOT TO BE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT AND YOU ARE A MOM. TELL US WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN LIKE FOR YOU. DANA: SURE. WE HAVE HAD A TOTAL OF FOUR DEPLOYMENTS. HE DEPLOYED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR SECOND SON WAS THREE WEEKS OLD. AND IT WAS -- IT WAS INEXPERIENCED ON LIKE NO OTHER, -- AN EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER, BUT IT WAS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL IN THE LONG RUN BECAUSE YOU LEARN TO FIND HER INNER STRENGTH. YOU LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU CANNOT ALWAYS BE IN CONTROL. YOU ALSO LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THE THINGS THAT REALLY, TRULY MATTER AND TAKE THINGS ONE DAY AT A TIME. AND JUST BEING SO APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT I MILITARY IS DOING TO SUPPORT US AND KEEP -- OUR MILITARY IS DOING TO SUPPORT US AND KEEP A SAFE. IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE, BUT IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE FIRST OPPORTUNITY. SARAH: SO YOU ARE REACHING OUT AND HELPING A LOT OF VETERANS AS THEY RETURN HOME. WHAT ARE THE SERVICES THAT YOU ARE HELPING PROVIDE? DANA: AS DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH, IT IS OUR PROGRAM'S MISSION TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE EDUCATING VETERANS, ACTIVE-DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS, AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES ON ANY VARIETY OF SERVICES THAT MIGHT BE OFFERED, WHETHER IT IS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL, OR ALSO INFORMING THEM OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY. WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE FIVE MAIN PROGRAMS. WE HAVE A SERVICE PROGRAM THAT ASSISTS VETERANS WITH ACQUIRING BENEFITS. WE OPERATE CHARLOTTE HALL VETERANS HOME. WITH OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY, WE ALSO MANAGE A FEW INITIATIVES. ONE OF WHICH IS ONE THAT WE JUST LAUNCHED ON JULY 1, OPERATION HIGHER MARYLAND, THAT SPEAKS TO OUR EMPLOYER COMMUNITY, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO ATTRACT AND RECRUIT AND SUPPORT VETERANS. SO WE ARE WORKING TO HELP EDUCATE EMPLOYERS ON BEST PRACTICES AND HOW TO BUILD A NETWORK THEY CAN LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED AT OTHER STATE AGENCIES. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE HAS MARYLAND'S COMMITMENT TO VETERANS, WHICH IS A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE. TO ADJUST ANY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES THAT MIGHT BE PRESENTING. AND THE MARYLAND MORTGAGE PROGRAM, THE MARYLAND HOME FUND, THAT ASSISTS VETERANS AND SERVICEMEMBERS WITH ACQUIRING FUNDING WITH REDUCED INTEREST RATES. SARAH: AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS MOST COMMON WHEN IT COMES TO PROBLEMS THAT VETERANS FACE WHEN THEY RETURN? CLEARLY, PTSD IS SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME AND YOU MENTIONED SERVICES FOR THAT. BUT PEOPLE ARE COMING BACK AND THE ARE WITHOUT A HOME. DANA: YES, I THINK THERE ARE CHALLENGES THAT PRESENT, YOU KNOW, A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER, WHETHER THEY SERVED 5 YEARS, 10 YEARS, OR 30 YEARS, THEY BECOME ENTRENCHED IN A CERTAIN MINDSET, A CERTAIN CULTURE. WHEN YOU SEPARATE OR RETIRE, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF LEAVE THAT CULTURE IN TRANSITION INTO A NEW ONE, WHICH CAN BE A CHALLENGE. HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH CIVILIANS, TRYING TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND YOUR EXPERIENCE. MANY OF OUR VETERANS ARE TRANSITIONING AND THEY ARE DOING JUST FINE. BUT FOR THOSE WHO DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THOSE CHALLENGES PRESENTING THEMSELVES, HOW THINGS CAN BE A STRUGGLE IF YOU ARE TRYING TO MANAGE FINDING A JOB OR ACQUIRING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO WE ARE REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT AND REMOTELY CAN TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES. SARAH: SOUNDS LIKE A VETERANS HAVE A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM HERE. DANA: I BELIEVE SO. SARAH: HOW DO THEY APPLY FOR HELP? DANA: I WOULD SAY AS THE DIRECTOR, THEY CAN SAFELY PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL OUR DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RESOURCES ON HER WEBSITE THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO. -- OUR WEBSITE THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO, WHETHER IT IS FEDERAL RESOURCES OR THE HOTLINE. SARAH: IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAD THE

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The number of homeless veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan is increasing. Maryland veterans officials explain what is contributing to our veterans becoming homeless and what's being done about it.

A LOT OF VETERANS HAVE COME BACK FROM WAR WITH MANY ISSUES. AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE COMPLY WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR HEALTH CARE NEEDS. WE HAVE SEEN AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND IN MARYLAND, TO HAVE BEEN LONG WAIT PERIODS IN ORDER TO GET DOCTORS APPOINTMENT. WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE WE HAVE ADEQUATE FUNDS WITHIN THE V.A. SYSTEM ITSELF, BUT ALSO WHERE WE CANNOT ACCOMMODATE WITHIN THE SYSTEM, THAT A VETERAN CAN GO TO OTHER FACILITIES IN ORDER TO GET THEIR NEEDS MET WITHOUT PENALTY. AND I THINK WE HAVE IMPROVED THE SITUATION, BUT WE STILL NEED TO DO MORE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LIVE UP TO OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR VETERANS. SARAH: THAT WAS SENATOR BEN CARDIN, SHAKE HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP OUR VETERANS. JOINING US TODAY IS CHRIS BUSER, CHIEF OF SOCIAL WORK FROM THE V.A. MARYLAND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, ADRIENNE BREIDENSTINE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JOURNEY HOME, AND THOMAS COUSAR. WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU. SO, THIS IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF AN ISSUE. VETERANS BECOMING HOMELESS. THE NUMBERS SEEM TO BE INCREASING. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? WELL, IT IS A TRAGEDY EVERY TIME ONE OF OUR VETERANS HAS BECOME HOMELESS. THEY DESERVE THE NATION'S BEST. ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT IS TO TRY TO GRAB THE VETERANS THAT ARE COMING BACK AND GET TO THEM EARLY. UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE THOMAS WILL TALK ABOUT, OUR VETERANS FROM THE VIETNAM ERA, A WERE NOT WELCOMED BACK WITH OPEN ARMS. SO THEY KIND OF FELL TO THE SIDE AND WE STILL SEE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT TODAY. WITH THIS RETURNING GENERATION FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GRAB THEM UP EARLY, AT THEM TO THE SERVICES THEY NEED, AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE GETTING PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING SO THEY CAN BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AFTER THE MILITARY. SARAH: AND HOW SUCCESSFUL ARE THESE PROGRAMS? ADRIENNE: SO FAR, THEY HAVE BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL. I THINK PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PARTNERSHIP THAT THE CITY HAS WITH THE BALTIMORE BA MEDICAL CENTER -- VA MEDICAL CENTER. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PERMANENTLY HOUSE OVER 300 HOMELESS VETERANS. AND WE ARE ON TRACK TO ACHIEVE OUR GOAL, WHICH IS TO HOUSE OVER 500 VETERANS OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR. WITH THE GIVER DO THAT, WE ARE GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE VETERAN HOMELESSNESS POPULATION IN BALTIMORE. SARAH: THAT IS AMAZING WORK YOU DO. THOMAS, LET'S BRING YOU IN. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THOMAS: YOU ARE WELCOME. SARAH: IT IS GREAT TO ME TOO. I AM JUST CURIOUS HOW YOUR SITUATION OF ALT. YOU CAN BACK AND YOU ARE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HOMELESS AFTER BEING OVERSEAS. THOMAS: YES. GOD, SOMETIMES I TRY TO REMEMBER HOW I GOT TO THAT STATE, BUT IT WAS ALL ABOUT WHAT WAS IN MY HEAD. IN THE SERVICE, PEOPLE CARE. WHEN I CAME HOME, THERE WAS NO ONE. THERE WAS ACTUALLY REALLY NOTHING. I WASN'T TOLD ABOUT THE V.A. IT REALLY NEVER EXISTED. SO I DID WHAT I DID WHEN I WAS IN THE SERVICE. SO I DID WHAT I DID WHEN I WAS IN THE SERVICE, -- I DIDN'T REALLY ACTUALLY FEEL CONNECTED TO BEING A CIVILIAN. I STILL WAS CONNECTED TO THAT MILITARY. SO THAT IS HOW I GOT CAUGHT UP IN BUILDING A TENT IN THE WOODS WITH A FLAG ON TOP OF IT BECAUSE I MILITARY AND THAT WAS ALL I KNEW. THERE WAS NO ONE TO GO TO AND SAY, HEY, I AM FEELING THIS WAY. SARAH: SO HOW DID YOU GET HELP AND HOW DID YOU GET INTO A BETTER SITUATION? IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE DOING REALLY WELL NOW MANY YEARS LATER. THOMAS: OH, THIS IS 40 YEARS IN THE MAKING. IT WAS ONE MORNING, I STEPPED OUTSIDE OF MY TENT AND TOOK A NICE LITTLE YARD -- YAWN AND LOOKED AROUND FOR MY LITTLE SQUIRREL TO BE. AND THE SUN WAS RISING. THE SUNRISE WAS SOMETHING -- WAS DIFFERENT ABOUT IT. IT MADE ME FEEL REALLY WARM INSIDE. LIKE I WAS MISSING SOMETHING. AND I TURNED AROUND AND I LOOKED AND I SAW THAT TENT REALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND I HADN'T DONE ANYTHING WITH MY LIFE AT ALL. SO I WALKED ON DOWN TO THE V.A. AND HERE I YAM. THE V.A. SENT ME TO A PROGRAM TO GET ME STABLE AND GIVE ME BACK ON MY MEDS. SO I'M FEELING SECURE ABOUT ME. NOW, I HAVE TO GET COMMITTED ABOUT ME AND HOW TO STAY WELL. SO WHEN I GOT TO. POINT, IT WAS A TIME -- WHEN I GOT TO PERRY POINT, IT WAS A TIME WHERE I SAT DOWN AND SAID, HEY, THOMAS, THAT STUFF IS GONE. IT IS TIME TO FIND NEW WAYS. I REALLY GOT COMMITTED TO STAYING WELL. AND AFTER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, HERE I AM. SARAH: THE SYMBOLISM OF THE SUNRISE IS PRETTY POWERFUL. I'M GLAD YOU ARE DOING WELL. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, ALMOST INCENSED THAT VETERANS COME HOME AND THIS HAPPENS. THEY DESERVE TO BE TAKING CARE OF AND THAT IS WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU HEAR THOMAS' STORY? CHRIS: THOMAS AND I WERE TALKING BEFORE WE CAME ON AND WE SHOULD -- SHARE A BOND THAT WE BOTH SERVED IN THE ARMY. WHEN YOU COME BACK, YOU MAY NOT HAVE SOME OF THE SUPPORT. SO MYSELF, AS A VETERAN, WHEN I DRIVE INTO THE CITY AND I SEE SOMEONE IS HOLDING A SIGN THAT SAYS HOMELESS VET, THAT IS ASSIGNED TO ME THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE. WHAT WE ARE DOING AT THE V.A. AS WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY AND OTHER AGENCIES. WE ARE DOING COMMUNITY OUTREACH. ARE GOING TO CONFERENCES, YOU ARE GOING TO PLACES LIKE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AND WE ARE TRYING TO BRING THEM IN. AT THE MEDICAL CENTERS, HAVE ESTABLISHED PRIMARY CARE TEAMS THAT WORK JUST WITH OUR HOMELESS VETERANS AS THEY WALK IN. IT SHOULD NOT BE A REASON WHY SOMEONE CANNOT GET ACCESS TO CARE WHEN THEY ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE VETERANS. WE HAVE HIRED ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS AND AS PRACTITIONERS CAN START THAT CASE MANAGEMENT, MENTAL HEALTH, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT . ABOUT 45% OF HOMELESS VETERANS HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE START ADDRESSING THOSE CONCERNS WILL BE ON SO THAT WE CAN GET THOSE VETERANS AND THAT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. SARAH: AND YOU MENTION THE VETERAN TO SEE ON THE STREET THAT ARE IN NEED OF HELP AT A HOMELESS. I SEE IT ALL THE TIME. WHAT ARE YOU HOPING FROM THE CITY PERSPECTIVE CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH A COMES TO THAT? ADRIENNE: AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE REALLY WANT TO REDUCE VETERANS HOMELESSNESS PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. ONE OF THE KEY STRATEGIES THAT WE ARE USING AS WE ARE APPLY THE HOUSING FIRST APPROACH, WHICH RECOGNIZES THAT HOUSING IS REALLY THE PLATFORM THAT PEOPLE NEED TO ACHIEVE STABILITY. THEY NEED THAT TO HELP GET A JOB. THEY NEED THAT TO HELP ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. THEY NEED THAT TO RECONNECT WITH THEIR FAMILY. AND HAVING SOMEBODY LIVE IN A SHELTER OR LIVING ON THE STREETS, AND MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE BASIC THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF. SO TRYING TO APPLY THIS APPROACH , WHICH IS VERY MUCH A CLINICAL APPROACH TO ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, OR SOMETHING WE ARE APPLYING ACROSS OUR SYSTEMS AND WE ARE SEEING SOME PRETTY POSITIVE OUTCOMES. CHRIS: I WOULD SAY HOUSING, IT IS HEALTH CARE. WHEN OUR VETERANS ARE HOUSED, THEY ARE SAFER. I CANNOT FIND ANY STUDY THAT SUGGESTS BEING ON THE STREET IS BETTER FOR YOUR HEALTH THAN BEING IN A HOUSE. SARAH: AND THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT NEEDS THAT YOU ARE DRESSING, IN ADDITION TO HOUSING. THAT WHOLE TRANSITION COMING BACK. WE ALSO WANT TO MENTION, YOU WERE HONORED RECENTLY AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. THOMAS: THE PUBLIC LIBRARY TO ME IN AN ADOPTED ME. AND GOING THERE, THEY TAUGHT ME COMPUTER SKILLS. I REMEMBER THE FIRST DAY I RECEIVED MY E-MAIL ADDRESS, IT WAS JANUARY 4, 2012. AND IT WAS, LIKE, YES! AND I NEVER WORKED ON THE COMPUTER. I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING OUT OF JAMES BOND. A LITTLE TYPEWRITER AND A SCREEN LOOKING AT ME. BUT IN LEARNING HOW TO OPERATE AND USE A COMPUTER, WHEN THE JOB BECAME AVAILABLE THAT I HAVE NOW, I HAD TO LOOK IT UP, AND I GOT A CHANCE TO USE MY SKILLS. AND I GOT THE JOB. SARAH: FANTASTIC. THOMAS: SO THE JOB I HAVE, I AM ON THE FRONT LINES WITH THE VETERANS THAT YOU SEE ON THE STREETS. PEOPLE SEND THEM TO ME, GO SEE THOMAS. SO WHEN THEY COME, IT IS GREAT AND I FEEL REWARDED THAT I'M THERE FOR THEM. SARAH: THOMAS, WE APPRECIATE YOU SHARING YOUR STORY. WE LOVE TO HEAR SUCCESS STORIES LIKE YOU.

THIS NATION WANTS TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION TO THOSE WILL HAVE WHEN THE UNIFORM OF OUR NATION. WHEN OF THE BEST WAYS WE CAN TO HELP THEM WHEN WE -- THEY COME BACK TO OUR COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A JOB. AND WE HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT IT. ABSOLUTELY, THERE ARE SKILLS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE LEARNED IN THE MILITARY THAT THEY CAN USE IN THEIR CIVILIAN LIFE. AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CONNECTIONS ARE MADE. AND WE HAVE TO HELP. WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM PREFERENCE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FIND JOBS FOR THEM. SARAH: THAT WAS SENATOR BEN CARDIN, SHARING HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR VETERANS AND JOBS. JOINING US TODAY IS MARK PESTONI , PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF SAP NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICES TO TELL US ABOUT SOME TRAINING PROGRAMS. WELCOME, MARK. MARK: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SARAH: IT WAS INTERESTING WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OFF AIR, NOT ALL VETERANS ARE CREATED EQUALLY. THAT IS WHAT YOU SAID. WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT MEAN? MARK: A LOT OF VETERANS COME OUT AND THEY MIGHT HAVE GREAT DEGREES, THEY MIGHT HAVE GREAT TECHNICAL SKILLS, AND THEY GENERALLY DON'T HAVE THE PROBLEM FINDING EMPLOYMENT. IN FACT, MANY TIMES THEY HAD MANY SUITORS. WE ARE TARGETING THOSE THAT MAY NOT HAVE THOSE SKILLS. A LOT OF THOSE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT CAME IN RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN COMBAT WERE DIRECTLY IN SUPPORT. THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE A DEGREE, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME SKILLS THAT THEY PICKED UP IN THE MILITARY. THEY ARE HARD TO TRANSLATE AND OFTEN THEIR RESUMES END UP NOT BEEN VERY COMPETITIVE. SO THAT IS WHAT WE TRY TO ADDRESS IS THAT GROUP. SARAH: OK. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE SKILL SET THAT MILITARY MEMBERS HAVE GOT TRANSLATES WELL -- THAT TRANSLATES WELL INTO THE WORKFORCE? MARK: TO ME, IT IS A FOCUS ON THE MISSION. THEY KNOW HOW TO WORK ON A TEAM REALLY WELL. THAT IS KIND OF A CHALLENGE FOR SOME OF BY YOUNG FOLKS GROWING UP. THEY LEARNED THAT AND HAVE EACH OTHER'S BACKS. SO YOU TAKE THOSE KIND OF THINGS, KIND OF THE STREETSMARTS YOU PICK UP IN THE MILITARY, AND WE TRY TO LAY HER TECHNICAL SKILLS THAT ARE IN HIGH DEMAND. SPECIFICALLY SAP SKILLS. SO WE PUT THEM THROUGH A RIGOROUS TRAINING, TAKING THE GOOD SKILLS THAT GOT IN THE MILITARY, ADDING THESE TECHNICAL SKILLS, AND OUT COMES A VERY EMPLOYABLE CONSULTANT. SARAH: ARE YOU ALSO HELPING THEM BE PLACED IN JOBS? MARK: YES, MA'AM. THAT IS PART OF IT. THE CHAIRMAN OF A NONPROFIT -- WE ESTABLISHED A NONPROFIT TO DO THIS -- WE ESTABLISHED THAT BASICALLY TO DO THIS AND HE ALWAYS SAYS THE JOB IS NOT FINISHED UNTIL WE ACTUALLY GET THEM IN A JOB. SO IF WE CAN TRAIN THEM, WE CAN DO A LOT OF GOOD THINGS, THAT UNTIL THEY ARE EMPLOYED, A LOT OF THESE HE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO COME TO US ARE UNEMPLOYED WHEN THEY COME. SO WE AS A JOB REALLY HAVEN'T DONE THE JOB. SARAH: AND YOU SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE. YOU WERE IN THE AIR FORCE FOR 20 YEARS. MARK: YES, I WAS. SARAH: WHAT WAS THAT TRANSITION LIKE FOR YOU? MARK: THE TRANSITION IS MADE DIFFICULT FOR A LOT OF FOLKS. WE SPENT 20, 10, 6 YEARS BEING TRAINED ON HOW TO BREAK THINGS OR PROJECT POWER. THEN WE ARE GENERALLY GIVEN TWO WEEKS OF TRANSITION. SO IT IS A KIND OF TOUGH OFFRAMP AND YOU LOSE A LOT OF SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND THE TEAM YOU ARE WITHIN THE MILITARY. SO WE TRIED TO ADDRESS THAT IN A MILITARY -- IN OUR TRAINING. SARAH: HOW DO VETERANS CONNECT WITH YOU? MARK: VERY EASY, THEY CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE. ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM IS THERE. THEY CAN APPLY, IT IS A FAIRLY EASY PROCESS AND WE HAVE ANOTHER CLASS STARTING ON THE 31ST OF AUGUST THIS YEAR. WE WILL BE SELECTING 20 TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. SARAH: AND WHAT IS YOUR SUCCESS RATE? MARK: WE HAVE DONE THREE CLASSES. 56 YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN GO THROUGH AND EVERYONE OF THEM HAS HAD AN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY. WE WOULD LIKE TO THINK WE ARE BATTING PRETTY WELL ON THAT REGARD. SARAH: A VERY IMPORTANT TO SERVICE. MARK: IF THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, EITHER HIRING VETERANS ARE GETTING INVOLVED, THIS IS AN AREA -- INVESTING BACK IN THESE VETERANS ARE CRITICAL. ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS HARD WORK WITH WHAT YOU GET OUT AT THE OTHER END IS GREAT. COMPANIES CAN TAKE A LOOK AT A WEBSITE AND REACH OUT TO ME PERSONALLY. SARAH: THANK YOU FOR

OLD YORK ROAD WITH THE DETAILS. REPORTER: MCKENZIE'S MOM, NINA SAYS SHE WOULD'VE LOVED TO SEE HER DAUGHTER GO TO SCHOOL AND BUY A PROM DRESS, BUT SHE WAS ROBBED OF THAT OPPORTUNITY. WHAT IS EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING FOR HER IS THAT 365 DAYS AFTER THE SHOOTING NO ONE IS BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE. A TEDDY BEAR AND CANDLE LIE AT THE FOOT OF A STREET SIGN BEARING THE NAME MCKENZIE ELLIOTT. PEOPLE SHOULD TALK BECAUSE IF THE PERSON IS OUT HERE WHAT MAKES YOU THINK HE'S NOT GOING TO DO IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. REPORTER: A YEAR HAS PASSED SINCE THE TODDLER WAS HIT AND KILLED BY A STRAY BULLET. DESPITE AN $8,000, NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE AND A GRIEVING FAMILY WANTS ANSWERS. PEOPLE CAN'T UNDERSTAND THIS KIND OF LOSS LORD WHEN IT COMES TO A CHILD THERE'S NO CODE, SO IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING JUST SAY SOMETHING SHE'S HAVING RESTLESS NIGHTS HEARTACHE AND HEADACHES JUST LET HER HAVE SOME CLOSURE THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. REPORTER: AS THE CANDLE LIGHTS FLICKERED AGAINST THE NIGHT SKY, MEMORIES WERE SHARED ABOUT A YOUNG LIFE GONE TOO SOON. EPPS SAYS THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN TOUGH, AND HER HEART ACHES FOR BOTH HER DAUGHTER AND BALTIMORE. EVERYDAY A CHILD HAS LOST THEIR LIFE SO IT'S LIKE WHAT FUTURE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AND PROVIDE FOR THESE KIDS IF WE DON'T SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THEM BECAUSE EVERYTHING THEY SEE IS WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. REPORTER: INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT WHO IS